Re: [Callers] Family Contra

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Re: Easy dances for teaching contra (Joy Greenwolfe) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 21:27:39 -0500 From: Joy Greenwolfe <joy2the(a)mindspring.com> Subject: [Callers] Easy dances for teaching contra To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Message-ID: <0BD8306F-18EC-4DAC-BDDB-73DEAFBAE37F(a)mindspring.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Hi All, I'm calling two beginner-heavy dances soon (Dec 1st and end of Jan). The first is opening a new series and is required by organizers to be all contra (no circles or squares). So some semi-experienced dancers, but mostly newbees. The second event will be entirely beginners and mostly women but following a "western" theme. Could anyone share or recommend some dances that are both easy and fun? I'm looking for simple and forgiving dances that could be used to practice basic contra concepts while being satisfying for the dancers and even give them a sense of success. Dances I already have include: Jefferson Revisited, Lady Wapole's Reel, Becky Hill's Big Easy, and yes, Gallopede! I feel pretty good about those choices, having already used them in a variety of raw- beginner circumstances. Having recently worked with several room-fulls of beginners, I am wary of throwing too much at them too soon. But I also don't want to call a program of mush. Any ideas? Thanks in advance. Joy Greenwolfe Durham, NC ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 23:30:09 -0500 From: Richard Hart <rich(a)harts.mv.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] Easy dances for teaching contra To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Message-ID: <455E8C51.6070206(a)harts.mv.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed This dance is not really a full-blown contra, but its also not a square or circle. I use it to teach a few of the basics, without having to also worry about the formation (proper, improper, etc.) and the progression at the same time. Beginners seem to like it and I can use it to teach a few of the basic moves without the additional complexities. Trip to F'Town (or Francestown) Setup: have couples form circles of 4 with couple facing couple anywhere on the floor - no contra lines. At start, but really at the end of the B2 part: bow to your neighbor. A1: dos-a-dos neighbor; dos-a-dos partner. A2: Chose 1 of Right & Left, over & back, or Ladies' Chain over & back, or Star left, then star right (Depending on the skills of the dancers, I will chose one or more of these to teach, then practice during the dance. Sometimes I pick just one, other times I alternate each time through, and sometimes even just call the move randomly if they can handle it.) B1: Circle Left 1X Circle Right back to place. B2: pass through and go and find a new couple to dance with. bow to your new neighbor. This dance allows me to focus on the basic calls, without having to also teach progression at the same time. After doing this dance, it is much easier to introduce the idea of the progression with the next dance. Rich Hart. Joy Greenwolfe remarked on 11/17/2006 9:27 PM: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: 18 Nov 2006 09:28:22 EST From: David.Millstone(a)valley.net (David Millstone) Subject: Re: [Callers] Easy dances for teaching contra To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Message-ID: <25733921(a)retriever.VALLEY.NET> Content-Type: text/plain Hello Joy, If you're going to be doing similar gigs with less experienced dancers, I'd suggest getting copies of Chimes of Dunkirk and Listen to the Mockingbird (New England Dancing Masters) plus Dudley Laufman's two books (with CDs)-- White Mountain Reel and Sweets of May-- as useful sources for lots of material. Marian Rose's books (the Step Lively series) also have some wonderful dances in them. (All available through Country Dance and Song Society.) Yes, it's an investment in resources, but armed with the material in these books (and CDs, too) you'll have plenty of excellent material-- contras, circles, squares, simple line dances, mixers, suitable for working with beginners of all ages. For your first dance coming up in early December, you have your hands tied-- "required by organizers to be all contra (no circles or squares)." WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? Is the next list of requirements going to be that they want lots of newcomers to be there and oh, by the way, they want the first dance of the evening to include a hey for four on the left diagonal? Have they told you that every contra has to have a partner swing and a neighbor swing? Or are they waiting to spring that on you later on? Sheesh. Okay, stepping back off my soapbox... In the meantime, here are two simple contras that work with folks who are new to this kind of dancing. Don't have to worry about proper/improper, just line 'em up across from a partner, set up your minor sets of four, and you're off. David Millstone P.S. It really is worth having a discussion with the organizers to see if you can come to a better understanding of how to build a dance series. I would suggest that contra contra contra is not the best recipe for success. ------- Family Contra (Sherry Nevins) A1 Balance ring 2x ("Go IN... and OUT... and IN... and OUT), circle left 1x A2 Balance ring 2x, circle right 1x B1 DSD with neighbor, DSD with partner B2 DSD 1.5 as a couple ------ Ellen's Green Jig (Roy Dommett) A1 Do-si-do neighbor Do-si-do partner A2 Ones balance and swing B1 Circle left Circle right B2 Square dance figure, Duck for the Oyster, Dive for the Clam: (Still joined in a circle, twos arch and ones duck partially under and then back up to place. Ones arch and twos duck under and then back up. Ones duck all the way through Twos' arch to meet new neighbors.) "Duck for the oyster, dive for the clam, duck through the hole in the old tin can" or similar patter ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 10:13:35 -0500 From: Joy Greenwolfe <joy2the(a)mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] Easy dances for teaching contra To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Message-ID: <79B95561-F4BF-4B53-962C-8CAADF3D9191(a)mindspring.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Thanks for the ideas, Rich. --Joy On Nov 17, 2006, at 11:30 PM, Richard Hart wrote: ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 11:13:39 -0500 From: Joy Greenwolfe <joy2the(a)mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] Easy dances for teaching contra To: millstone(a)valley.net, Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Message-ID: <BC5BABB2-BECA-4B55-AA51-CA88E55A2856(a)mindspring.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Hi David and all, Thanks for the ideas. I know! It's a little crazy with the no- circles. They did actually ask that no "complicated moves" such as Heys be taught until/unless the dancers are doing well up to that point. They are concerned about first impressions with the new dancers, but I think the no-circles thing came from wanting to appeal to the existing dancers in that area of the state. Since they are dancer-organizers and not caller-organizers, I think I will lean on them a little about their expectations. :) Your remarks encourage me. I do have the Chimes of Dunkirk book, which has saved me from teeth- gnashing in the past. I will look into the others. I have to say that the Shared Weight archives have been useful in the past. Maybe I should look again. I seem to recall some good discussion of family dances. And thanks for these dances, David. It's great that they can be danced without regard to gender positioning! I will definitely make use of them. Thanks, Joy Greenwolfe On Nov 18, 2006, at 9:28 AM, David Millstone wrote: ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers End of Callers Digest, Vol 27, Issue 11 ***************************************